"… …"
Mo Ran was dumbstruck.
After a long time, he scratched his ears and cheeks as he regained his senses. He repeatedly waved his hands, "No, that, I don't know. This isn't my handkerchief, then where did my handkerchief go?
… … I-I-I, sigh, I really can't clear my name even if I jump into the Yellow River … … "
He stared at the silk handkerchief embroidered with faint begonia flower marks, but couldn't remember how he got such an item.
He anxiously pondered for a long time, then suddenly slapped his head.
"Ah!"
"… … What's wrong … …"
"I remember now!"
Mo Ran let out a sigh of relief and took the handkerchief back from Shi Mei's hands. He smiled, "I'm sorry, this handkerchief really isn't mine, I can't give it to you."
Shi Mei, "… …"
I didn't say I wanted it.
"But this isn't Shizun's either. Don't think Haitang is Shizun's."
Mo Ran folded the handkerchief and put it back into his pocket. He was obviously relieved that he didn't take his Shizun's handkerchief by mistake, "This handkerchief is Junior Xia's."
Shi Mei thought for a while, "Junior Xia's?"
"Yes, I've been living with him these days. Maybe I washed the handkerchief and took the wrong one in the morning. Haha, I'm really sorry."
"… … En, it's okay."
Shi Mi still smiled gently. Then, he stood up and said, "It's getting late. Let's go and bring Junior Xia over."
The two left the house and went straight to the prison cell.
However, they didn't go too far before Shi Mei's footsteps gradually slowed down. At first, it wasn't obvious, but he suddenly tripped over a piece of rock and almost fell. Fortunately, Mo Ran was walking beside him and caught him in time.
Mo Ran saw that his face was pale and bloodless, and couldn't help but ask in surprise, "What's wrong?"
"It's okay," Shi Mei took a deep breath and said, "I didn't eat much for lunch, so I don't have much energy. I'll be fine after some rest."
The more vaguely he tried to muddle through, the more concerned Mo Ran became. After thinking about it carefully, he realized that Shi Mei's Qing Gong was not good, so he had to exchange his Peach Blossom Spring for his food and clothes. In the past, he had plucked feathers and given them to Shi Mei. Now that he had been locked up, Xue Meng was a brainless person who did not know how to take care of others …
The more Mo Ran thought about it, the more worried he became. He said, "When you were in the sect, you often didn't eat lunch, but I've never seen you so weak.
How are you saying that you haven't eaten anything?
Tell me the truth, how long have you been hungry? "
"I …"
Seeing that he didn't say anything, Mo Ran's face became more and more gloomy. He pulled him in the opposite direction.
Shi Mei hurriedly said, "Mo Ran, where, where are you going?"
"I'll take you to eat!"
Mo Ran said fiercely, but when he turned around, his eyes were full of heartache. "Can't you take care of yourself when I'm not around?
You always think about others, and you always think about others before you do anything!
But what about you?
Have you ever thought about yourself? "
"Mo Ran …"
He dragged Shi Mei all the way to the tavern. Logically speaking, Shi Mei belonged to the Healing Element, so without a token, he could not come to the Offensive Element encampment where Mo Ran and the others were used to staying.
However, ever since Eighteen's accident, everyone was in a state of panic. In order to deal with unexpected situations, the feathermen had already removed the restrictions between the different elements.
"What do you want to eat?
Order yourself. "
"Just something will do."
Shi Mei seemed to feel a little guilty. "I'm sorry. I wanted to come here to help, but in the end, I still dragged you down …"
"What's there to be sorry about between you and me?"
Mo Ran stretched out his hand and flicked his forehead. He softened his tone and said, "Order. After you order, I'll pay for it. You can sit down and eat."
Shi Mei was startled. "What about you?"
"I have to go and pick up Junior Brother Xia. The culprit has not been caught.
Although there are guards around the prison, I'm still worried. "
Hearing that Mo Ran was about to leave, Shi Mei's eyes seemed to dim for a moment. However, he quickly said, "Just buy two steamed buns. I'll go with you. We can eat as we walk."
Mo Ran was about to stop him when he suddenly heard the sound of chirping outside the tavern. More than ten beautifully dressed young female cultivators entered the tavern, giggling.
"Manager, I want to ask you something."
The leading girl smiled and asked, "Eldest Senior Brother … Did you book a banquet at this tavern tonight?"
"That's right, that's right." The shopkeeper beamed with joy.
These days, these feathermen had found out that their eldest senior brother loved to drink and listen to music. Every night, he would find a tavern to hold a banquet.
Wherever their "eldest senior brother" was, there would be a group of chattering female cultivators swarming in.
As expected, those female cultivators immediately became more and more excited. They hurriedly wanted to book a table. From time to time, a few sentences would float into Mo Ran's ears.
They were talking about things like, "Xiao Fang, look at my eyebrows today. Do you think they look good?
Will eldest senior brother like them? "
"They look good, they look good. Then look at my eye makeup. It's a bit too bright. Will he think I'm frivolous?"
There were also things like, "You're so beautiful, eldest senior brother will definitely like you. I saw him looking at you a few times yesterday."
"Aiya, you're so annoying. How is that possible? Big Sister's temperament is still the best. Eldest Senior Brother will definitely like a talented girl like Big Sister."
"… …"
At such a critical time, these people could still be so infatuated with a man. Mo Ran's mouth twitched. He turned to his junior sister and said, "Steamed buns it is. We'll leave after we buy them. I'm also worried about leaving you alone in this tiger's den."
Shi Mei looked at his expression and couldn't help but gently smile and shake his head.
The most delicious food in this building was the unstoppable Big Steamed Pork Bun. Mo Ran bought ten of them in one go and gave them all to Shi Mei.
Walking on the road, Mo Ran glanced at Shi Mei from time to time and finally relaxed a bit.
However, no one would have thought that it was these steamed buns that would cause Shi Mei to be injured.
His stomach was already weak to begin with. He hadn't eaten a single grain of rice for a long time, so when he suddenly ate these greasy steamed buns, his stomach couldn't bear the bursts of cramping pain.
This time, Mo Ran was completely unable to pick up Chu Wanning. He hurriedly carried the pale and sweaty Shi Mei back to High Heaven Pavilion and placed him on the bed that had just been cleaned. Then he went outside to call for a doctor.
After prescribing medicine and feeding him warm water, Mo Ran sat on the bed and looked at Shi Mei's haggard appearance. He blamed himself, "Does it still hurt?
I'll help you rub it. "
Shi Mei's voice was very soft and weak, "No need … it's fine …"
However, Mo Ran's slender hand had already reached over and was gently rubbing his stomach.
Perhaps because the pressure was just right, it was very comfortable. In the end, Shi Mei didn't say anything and gradually relaxed his breathing and fell into a deep sleep.
Mo Ran stayed until he fell asleep and then prepared to leave.
However, before he could get up, his hand was caught.
Mo Ran's eyes suddenly widened. His black eyes flashed with a faint purple light, "Shi Mei …?"
"It hurts … don't go …"
The beauty on the bed still had his eyes closed, as if he was sleep-talking.
Mo Ran stood there in a daze. Shi Mei had never asked anyone to do anything for him. He had always been the one helping others without asking for anything in return. Only when he was in deep sleep would he ask Mo Ran to stay.
Thus, she sat back down on the edge of the bed. While looking at the face that she yearned for day and night, she continued to rub his stomach. Outside the open window, peach blossoms drifted down, and the sky was finally dark.
When Mo Ran suddenly remembered that he had promised his junior brother for dinner, it was already midnight.
"It's over!" Mo Ran suddenly jumped up and patted his head, "It's over, it's over, it's over, it's over!"
At this time, Shi Mei was also in deep sleep. Mo Ran took a big stride and wanted to run to the prison cell.
However, a blue light suddenly lit up the sky. Elder Xuanji was carrying a child in his arms, and the child was carrying a small jar. The two people descended from the sky.
"Elder!"
Xuanji glanced at Mo Ran with slight reproach, "What happened?
Didn't you say that you were going to pick him up?
If I wasn't worried and went to take a look, Yu … cough, I mean my disciple would have to wait in the prison until tomorrow morning. "
"It's my fault," Mo Ran lowered his head. After a while, he couldn't help but look up at Chu Wanning, "Junior brother …"
Xuanji put Chu Wanning down. Chu Wanning held the jar and quietly looked at Mo Ran, "Have you eaten dinner?"
He didn't expect that the first thing he said would be this. Mo Ran stared blankly, "No, not yet …"
Chu Wanning walked over and gave him the jar. He said calmly, "It's still warm, drink some."
Mo Ran stood in place and didn't move for a long time.
When he reacted, he had already picked up the little fellow and the jar and held them in his arms.
"Okay, I'll drink."
The silly child was afraid that the soup would be cold, so he took off his outer robe and wrapped it around the jar. Therefore, his small body was slightly cold when he held it.
Mo Ran touched his forehead and gently rubbed it. He blurted out the words that he had never said in his two lives, "I'm sorry, it's my fault."
After saying goodbye to Xuanji, the two returned to the room.
The outer robe was already wrinkled and couldn't be worn anymore. Mo Ran was afraid that the child would be cold, so he went to the room and found a small blanket for Chu Wanning.
Chu Wanning yawned and climbed onto the stool with the jar in his arms. He was about to get two small bowls of soup.
Suddenly, he blinked twice and his gaze fell on the meat bun that Shi Mei left behind.
"… …"
Jumping off the stool, Chu Wanning walked to the bedroom and looked at the beauty lying on the bed with no expression on his face. He didn't get angry and didn't say anything. He only felt that there were traces of coldness coming from his bones. His heart, which was still warm just a moment ago, was frozen to ice.
When Mo Ran returned to the kitchen, Chu Wanning was still sitting by the window at the table. One foot was on the stool and the other was hanging down. His arm was casually resting on the window frame.
Hearing the movement, he turned around and glanced at Mo Ran.
"Here, I found a firefox blanket. Put it on first, it's cold at night."
Chu Wanning didn't say anything.
Mo Ran walked over and handed the blanket to him. Chu Wanning didn't take it. He just shook his head and slowly closed his eyes, as if he was resting.
"What's wrong?
You don't like it? "
"… …"
"Then I'll find another one for you to see if there's anything else."
Mo Ran smiled and rubbed Chu Wanning's hair. He turned around and was about to find another one when he suddenly found that the pot on the table was gone.
He couldn't help but be stunned, "Where's my soup?"
"Who said it's yours?" Chu Wanning finally spoke. His voice was cold, "It's mine."
Mo Ran's mouth twitched. He thought that he was throwing a tantrum, "Okay, okay, okay, it's yours. Then where's your soup?"
Chu Wanning said indifferently, "Throw it away."
"Throw, throw it away … …?"
Chu Wanning ignored him and lightly jumped off the stool. He turned around and pushed the door open.
"Hey?
Shidi?
Shidi, where are you going? "Mo Ran didn't have time to take the blanket. The murderer was still unknown and it wasn't safe outside. He quickly followed him out.
He saw that under the peach blossom tree, the small pot that contained the soup was still clumsily placed there. It hadn't been thrown away.
Mo Ran let out a sigh of relief. He thought that he was in the wrong. Little Shidi didn't get angry just now because he was suppressing it. After suppressing it for a while, he realized that he couldn't take it anymore. There was nothing wrong with throwing a tantrum.
So he walked over and sat beside Chu Wanning.
Chu Wanning was under the peach blossom tree. He picked up his small pot and ignored Mo Ran. He opened the lid alone and took a spoon that was bigger than his face. He wanted to reach in to scoop the soup but found that he couldn't reach in at all. He couldn't help but become angrier. With a bang, he smashed the spoon and sat there holding the pot in a daze.
Mo Ran supported his cheek and turned his head to the side to give him an idea, "You can just drink it.
There's only the two of us here anyway. It's not embarrassing. "
"… …"
"You don't want to drink?
If you don't want to drink, then I'll drink it. This is the first time my Shidi has made soup for me. I can't waste it. "He wanted to tease him. As he spoke, he smiled and was about to snatch the pot.
Unexpectedly, Chu Wanning slapped his hand away, "Get lost."
"… …" Mo Ran blinked. He felt that this conversation was somewhat familiar. But then he put on a thick-skinned smile and leaned over, "Shidi, it's my fault. Don't be angry.
I wanted to come and pick you up a long time ago, but your Shidi Mingjing suddenly felt unwell, so I delayed it.
I didn't mean to make you wait. "
Chu Wanning still kept his head down and didn't say anything.
"Then you see, I've been busy until now and haven't eaten dinner.
I'm really hungry. "
Mo Ran pulled on his sleeve pitifully, "Shidi, kind Shidi, my good Shidi, I beg you. Just give your Shidi a mouthful of soup."
"… …"
Chu Wanning moved a little and finally put the pot of soup on the ground. She slightly raised her head and tilted it a little, but still turned away.
He meant to let Mo Ran take the soup himself.
Mo Ran smiled, "Thank you, Shidi."
The small pot was filled to the brim. With one look, he knew that his Shidi ate very little and left more than half of the meat for him. So there was a lot of meat and very little soup.
Mo Ran stared at it for a while. His eyes curved and he said warmly, "How is this soup? It's obviously a pot of stewed meat.
Shidi is so kind. "
"… …"
Mo Ran didn't say much. He took care of Shi Mei for half a day, so he was really hungry. Moreover, this was his Shidi's kind intention, so he couldn't waste it.
He broke two thin branches of a peach tree and used his fingers to trim the rough branches. He used them as chopsticks and put a piece of chicken into his mouth.
"Wow, it smells so good."
Mo Ran had the chicken in his mouth, and his eyes were misty. He smiled and said, "It's delicious.
My Shidi is really capable. "
Actually, this pot of soup wasn't delicious. It was too salty, but in order to make his Shidi happy, Mo Ran ate it with all his might. Soon, he ate more than half of the chicken. Chu Wanning didn't look at him from beginning to end, and sat silently at the side.
He drank a big mouthful of soup. The soup was saltier than the meat, and it was even a bit bitter, but it was still tolerable.
Mo Ran picked up a chicken leg and was about to put it into his mouth when he suddenly froze, "How many legs does a chicken have?"
Naturally, no one paid attention to him.
Mo Ran answered himself, "Two."
Then he looked at the chicken leg between his chopsticks, and then looked at the remaining bone that he had just eaten.
"… …"
This slow person finally raised his head and asked Chu Wanning in a daze, "Shidi, you … … did you … …" He didn't have the courage to ask the second half of the sentence.
Did you wait for me all this time and didn't eat dinner?
This pot of soup is full of meat. Did you wait for me until the soup was almost dry, and only the meat was left? After fighting, there was only a pitiful little bit left, and I thought … …
I thought you had eaten … … and left some for me … … I thought you didn't have good culinary skills, and made a good chicken soup into stewed chicken … …
Mo Ran silently put down the pot.
But he discovered it too late. There were only a few pieces of meat left in the pot.
Chu Wanning finally spoke.
His voice was still calm and pleasant, with a bit of the tenderness and clarity of a child.
"You said you would come back for dinner.
That's why I waited. "
He said slowly, without joy or sorrow, "If you don't want to eat, at least ask someone to pass a message. Don't let me be a fool.
Is that okay? "
"Shidi … …"
Chu Wanning still didn't look at him. He turned his face sideways, so Mo Ran couldn't see his expression.
"Ask someone to pass a message to me. Tell me you went to accompany Shidi … … Tell me you went to accompany Shidi Mingjing.
Is it difficult? "
"… …"
"You took my pot. Before you drank the soup, you talked so much. Ask me if I've eaten.
Is it difficult? "
"… …"
"Before you eat, look clearly at how many drumsticks there are in the pot. Is it difficult?" The last sentence was a little funny. It made people feel ashamed, but they still couldn't help but laugh.
But Mo Ran's dimples froze before they melted.
Little Shidi was crying.
If he was in his adult form, he definitely wouldn't cry over such a small matter. But no one knew that the Heart-Picking Willow had caused his body to shrink. Although his mind wouldn't be affected too much, it would still be affected to a certain extent.
If his body was weak, it would be easier for him to approach the mentality of a child.
This concealment was extremely difficult to detect. That was why Madam Wang and Elder Tanlang didn't notice it when they checked his pulse.
"I also feel hungry, I also feel uncomfortable. I'm also human … …" Even though his child mentality took the upper hand, Chu Wanning still suppressed it. He silently choked with sobs, but his shoulders couldn't stop trembling. Tears rolled down his face, his eyes red and wet.
For so many years, Elder Yu Heng had endured. No one liked him, no one accompanied him. He always pretended not to care. He walked coldly among the people who respected him.
But only when his mentality was affected by the thoughts of a child would he speak the truth. Only then would he break down. Only then would he speak the depression that had accumulated for so long.
It wasn't that he didn't treat others well. It was just that he did many things in silence.
But doing it in silence, no one saw, no one cared. After a long time, it was also torturous.
Mo Ran saw his Little Shidi's shoulders tremble slightly. He felt bad and reached out to touch. But before he could touch, he was mercilessly slapped away.
"Shidi … …"
"Don't touch me."
In the end, Chu Wanning was a strong-willed person, regardless of whether he was young or old. He fiercely wiped his tears and suddenly stood up. "I'm going to sleep. You can go accompany your junior brother. Get the hell away from me."
"…"
In his anger, he even forgot that Shi Mei was actually older than Mo Ran.
Mo Ran opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but Chu Wanning had already left. He quickly entered another bedroom and closed the door with a bang.
But in High Heaven Pavilion, each courtyard only had two bedrooms.
Mo Ran's original plan was to let Shiguan sleep in her own room while he squeezed in with his Junior Brother. However, his Junior Brother was so angry that he even locked the door. It seemed that they couldn't go to his room.
He didn't want to sleep on Shi Mei's bed.
What's more, after being scolded by Chu Wanning and making him cry, Mo Ran's mind was a mess. He simply didn't have the heart to think about other things. He just sat in the courtyard full of blooming peach blossoms, holding the jar that Chu Wanning brought for him.
After a long time, he sighed and raised his hand to slap himself, cursing in a low voice, "You're a worthless thing."
So that night, Mo Ran simply used the sky as a cover and the ground as a mat. He lay on the ground full of peach blossoms and blankly looked at the dome of the sky.
Little Shidi … … Shi Mei … … Shizun … … Xue Meng … … The fake North Star under the Jincheng Pool, the murderer who hasn't shown himself … … Chu Xun and his son in the illusion … …
Many vague shadows flashed in front of his eyes. He vaguely felt that something was wrong, but that feeling was so weak that he didn't even notice it.
The peach blossoms were bright and dazzling.
Raising his hand to catch a falling peach blossom, Mo Ran carefully looked at the scarlet soul under the moonlight.
In an instant, it was as if he returned to the end of his previous life. He laid in the coffin that was cast in advance. That day, the flowers on the mountain withered and fell silently.
But the one who fell was a begonia.
Begonia … …
Why was it that he, in both his previous and current lives, loved Shi Mei, but before he died, he mysteriously buried himself under the begonia tree, in front of the Tower of Babel, in the place where he first met Chu Wanning?
There were many things that he did in his previous life that made him shudder in fear when he thought about it. In his second life, the longer he lived, the more he couldn't understand why he did such a cruel thing in the past.
Massacring the city, bullying, murdering his master … … and forcing Chu Wanning to do such a thing with him … …
Mo Ran threw away the peach blossom, covered his forehead with his hand, and slowly closed his eyes.
Little Junior Brother had just said, "I will be hungry, I will be sad, I am also human". This sentence had been lingering in his ears. The person who said it was Little Junior Brother, but for a moment, another person's figure suddenly appeared in Mo Ran's mind.
It was a man wearing a snow-white robe.
In the blink of an eye, the white robe turned into a scarlet phoenix robe, which dragged on the ground. It was very similar to the ghost master's appearance in the illusion of a ghost wedding.
"I am also a human … …"
I will be sad, I will be in pain.
Mo Ran … …
I will also be in pain.
Mo Ran suddenly felt a strong sense of suffocation in his heart, as if something was about to burst out. Fine beads of cold sweat seeped out of his forehead.
He closed his eyes, slowly gasping for breath.
He muttered, "… … I'm sorry … …"
He didn't know who he was apologizing to, Little Junior Brother, or that old friend in the scarlet phoenix robe … …
In the bedroom, Shi Mei sat up.
He didn't turn on the light, and quietly went to the window with his bare feet. Through the gap in the window, he looked at Mo Ran who was lying in the middle of the flower petals, one hand still holding the pot. His eyes were dim, and he didn't know what he was thinking.
The next morning, Mo Ran who was lying in the middle of the flower petals wrinkled his nose, took a big breath of fresh air, stretched his body and prepared to get up.
But before he could stretch his body halfway, he suddenly heard a scream cut through the silence of Sky Tower.
"Ah — —!!!"
Mo Ran suddenly opened his eyes and got up with a grunt. The scene in front of him made his bones and blood turn cold, and he was stunned!
The fifteen elite feathermen who were in charge of guarding Sky Tower were all strangled to death in one night. The way they died was exactly the same as Eighteen, with a bright red willow vine tied around their necks.
— — What the hell!
Those fifteen people were hung in the middle of Sky Tower's flourishing peach blossom forest, their red sleeves fluttering, their long skirts touching the ground, and their bodies slightly swaying with the wind blowing through the forest. They looked like fifteen dried flowers, gloomy and beautiful.
The one who screamed was a low level featherman who came to deliver breakfast. She was so scared that she was trembling, and the bamboo basket in her hand had already fallen to the ground, spilling the porridge and pastries inside.
Seeing Mo Ran standing in the courtyard, the featherman trembled even more. She trembled as she put her hands behind her back, and took out something behind her back.
Mo Ran subconsciously went forward and said, "No, listen to me … …"
It was too late, that featherman had touched the Collapse Spell tattoo on her back.
The Collapse Spell was the most important communication method for feathermen. In almost an instant, all the feathermen in the peach blossom forest transformed into fiery red wings and descended from the sky.
And the scene in front of them made everyone stunned.
"Sister!!"
"Sister — —!"
After a moment of silence, the feathermen burst out with heart-wrenching screams and cries.
This huge commotion attracted the attention of the cultivators of Peach Blossom Spring one after another.
Cries of shock, suspicion, anger, and howls quickly surrounded the entire Sky Tower.
"Mo Ran!
What do you have to say now!? "
"Murderer!
You're crazy! "
Those feathermen were already seething with anger, as they screamed and cried, "A murderer must pay with his life!
Kill him!
Kill him! "
Mo Ran really did not know how to defend himself. He said, "If I were the murderer, why would I stay in Sky Tower and not leave if I could kill them all?
Why would I wait for you to catch me? "
A red-haired featherman scolded with tears and snot, "Pei!
It's already like this, and you, you still have the face … … "
Another person said angrily, "If you aren't the murderer, why did the murderer kill all the guards but not you?"
"That's right!"
"You really can't judge a book by its cover!"
"Even if the murderer isn't you, it's definitely someone related to you!
Otherwise, why didn't he kill you!?
Tell me! "
"A debt of blood must be paid with blood!"
Mo Ran was so angry that he wanted to laugh.
In his previous life, he killed people like flies, and no one dared to mention "a debt of blood must be paid with blood" to him. In this life, he was not the murderer, but he was wrongly accused. This world is really … … He closed his eyes and was about to say something, when suddenly, a red ray of light flew over from the horizon.
The featherman high immortal floated down from the clouds, coldly looking around with an ugly expression.
"Mo Weiyu."
"High Immortal."
The featherman high immortal stared at him for a while, then walked to one of the corpses and lifted the blood-stained willow vine on the corpse's neck.
"Where's your weapon?
Let me see it. "
"… …"
"You don't want to?"
Mo Ran sighed. His weapon was the ghost. During this period of cultivation, who knows how many people had seen it, and when Eighteen was in trouble, a large group of people had seen it.
Taking it out now, comparing the ghost with the willow vine on the dead feathermen's necks, it would undoubtedly add another heavy blow to his crime.
But if he did not take it out, then he would be guilty of a crime.
With a whoosh, a blazing red radiance appeared in his palm. The ghost materialized from his flesh and blood, flowing with a hissing red splendor. "If Exalted Immortal wants to see, then let's see.